Rotary seal



Jan. 4, 1949. E, J, CARLETON 2,458,343

ROTARY SEAL Filed June 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 4, 1949.

E. J. CARLETON ROTARY SEAL Filed June .18, 1945.

2 Sheets-Sheet .2

9L ATTORN Patented Jan. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,458,343ROTARY SEAL Emile .L Carleton,= Hol-yoke, Mass., assigner to HydraulicEngineering Co. Inc.,` Holyoke, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication Je 18, 1945, Serial No'. 600,037

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to rotary seal devices of the type permittingfluids under pressure to' be conducted from a stationary supply througha rotatable shaft to a turntable or other rotating member or element.

Among the objects of the inventionv is the pro` vision of an improvedsealing and bearing structure ofthe above type which can be maintainedwith a minimum of attention and expense and which permits theassociation of mechanical controls therewith.

Other and further objects residing in the de tails of construction willbe made apparentl in the following specication and claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a modification; and

Figs. 5, 6 and l'l are transverse sectional views showing modifiedarrangements of the passages inthe main shaft. i

Referring to the drawings the main shaft, generally indicated at I,comprises an outer tube 2 and a concentric inner tube 3, the two tubesbeing connected by a plurality of longitudinal radially arranged wallmembers 4, providing a plurality of conduits 5 extending lengthwise ofthe shaft.

The lower end of the shaft is swiveled in a casing generally indicatedat 6. The casing is' shown provided with a cylindrical bore 'I closed atthe lower end by a cap 8, the end of the bore through which the shaftextends being closed by any suitable type of packing ring structure asgenerally indicated at 9. Between the wall of the bore and the shaft arepositioned a plurality of spaced solid annular bearing members IIJ,preferably press iitted in the vbore or otherwise held stationary withthe casing. Between members ID are positioned annular channel members Ilthe channels I2 of which open toward the shaft. Between the web portionsof the channel members and the wall of the bore are positionedrelatively thin bearing rings I3 preferably press fitted in the borebetween the bearing members Ill. The channel members I I are preferablypress fitted on the shaft or otherwise held to the shaft to turntherewith.

The lower end of shaft I is closed by a plug I4 threaded at I 5 into theend of the shaft. Plug I4 is spaced from the cap 8 sufficiently toprovide a shallow chamber I6 open to the lower end face of the lowermostbearing member I0. outwardly of the upper end face of the uppermostbearing member IU a snap ring I1 fits in a groove I8 in the wall of borel,` a shallow chamber I9 being thus provided between the packing 9 andthe upper end face of the uppermost bearing member. The end chambers I6and I9 are connected by a drain passage 29 which connects with a drainopening 2| formed in the casing. Preferably passage 2i! is in the formof a groove cut in the bore wall so that it opens to the mating faces ofthe adjacent lbearing and channel members.

Openings 22 are formed in the outer cylindrical wall 2 of the shaft I,one from each conduit 5 to one of the channels l2.

The casing 6 is provided with av plurality of openings 23 positioned onein radial alignment with each of the channels i2, and suitable open#ings are provided through the bearing rings I3 and the webs of thechannel members so that each opening 23 is in constant communicationwith its respective conduit 5 in all positions of rotation of the shaftI. In the form illustrated the wall of the bore 'I is grooved adjacenteach opening 23 to form an arcuate chamber 24. As best shown in Fig. 3each bearing ring I3 is provided, over the extent of the adjacentarcuate chamber 24 with a plurality of openings 25 and the web of thecor responding channel member II is provided with openings 26, one ofwhich is always in communication with one or more of the openings 25 ofthe adjacent bearing ring.

The upper end of shaft I is provided with a suitable distributor cap 2l.As shown, cap 2l is bolted at 28 to a ring 29 threaded to the shaft at3B. Cap 21 is provided with a plurality of openings 3 I, one for each ofthe conduits 5. Cap 21 is also provided with an axial opening 32 inalignment with the inner tube 3 of the shaft.

As will be evident with casing G mounted on a base member, a constantsupply of fluid pressure can be supplied to a member rotating with shaftI, such as the turntable of a power shovel or the like. A circulation ofoil may be furnished the rotating member by using one conduit 5 for thesupply line and a second conduit for the return line. Mechanical controlmay also be furnished between the turning member and the base by way ofrod members 33 and 34 which are mounted for either or both slidable androtatable movement within the tube 3 of the shaft, the rods 33 and 34passing through a packing 35 in cap 8. The rods 33 and 34 may haveeither rotative or sliding movement, or both, relative to the shaft andto each other.

My construction makes possible a very simple mutual barriers to theescape of fluid, along their alternating bearing surfaces,longitudinally of the shaft. The substantialradial depth of the bearingand channel members which substantially increases the contacting surfaceareas furtherV minimizes the tendency to leakage. By connecting the endsof the bearing assembly by the drain system 20-2 I, a conventionalpacking unit 9 (and 35 if rods 33 and 34 are used) adequately completesthe seal.

As indicated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the conduits 5 provided in the shaft Imay be varied in number and in size to meet needed requirements. onlyone or two conduits are provided in shaft I with a resulting decrease inthe overall ybearing surfaces in the casing 6, I preferably provide ballbearing units 38 at the ends of the casing as shown in Fig. 4 toincrease the bearing support for the shaft in casing 6.

What'I claim is:

l. A rotary seal device comprising a shaft havthe shaft is rotatablymounted, spaced solid, an-` nular bearing members secured to the wall ofthe bore, a relatively thin bearing ring secured to the wall of the borebetween said members, an annular channeled member secured to the shaftwith its channel opening toward the shaft and positioned to rotatebetween said bearing members, the radially inner face of the bearingmember and the radially outer face of the channel member being inbearing contact with the shaft and said bearing ring respectively,' anopening through the casing in substantial vradial alignment with thechannel member, opening through'tlie bearing rings, the adjacent wall ofthe channel member and the shaft to establish constant communicationbetween the casing opening and the v conduit in the shaft in allpositions of rotation of the shaft with respect to the casing, a drainpassage formedin the casing connecting the outer end faces of the:bearing members and an opening through the casing from said drain.'

Wherev 2. A rotary seal device comprising a shaft having a plurality ofuid conduits extending longitudinally thereof, a casing having a borewithin which one end of the shaft is rotatably mounted,

a plurality of spaced solid annular bearing mem-v bers secured to thewall of the bore, relatively thin bearing rings secured to the wall ofthe Ibore between said members, a plurality of annular channeledmembers, one for each conduit in the shaft, secured to the shaft withtheir channels opening toward the shaft and positioned between saidbearing members, the radially inner face of each bearing member and theradially outer face of each channeled member being in bearing contactwith the shaft and said bearing rings respectively, on opening throughthe casing in radial alignment with each channeled member, openingsthrough the bearing rings and the adjacent wall of the channeled membersmaintaining constant communication between each casing opening and thechannel of the channeled member aligned therewith, openings through theshaft placing the channel of each channel member in communication withone conduit in the shaft, a drain passage connecting the outer end facesof the enflmost bearing members and an opening through the casing fromsaid drain. f

3. A rotary seal device as set forth in claim 2, said drain passagecomprising a groove in the wall of the bore extending .beyond theendmost bearing member.

4. A rotary seal device as set forth in claim 2, shallow chambers beingprovided at each endof the casing, one wall of each chamber being formedin part at least by the outer end faceof the endmost ybearing member.

5. A rotary seal device as set forth in claim 1 in which the shaft isprovided with a central passage coaxial with the shaft and an openingthrough the bottom of the casing in axial alignment with the last namedpassage. f

' EMILE J. CARLETON.

REFERENCES CITED rlhe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bard et al. Mar.v 7, 1944 i

